Bonds
by Marysia
Summary: Ryou wishes his Yami would leave, but when faced with life without his Yami, Ryou realizes how much he needs him. YAOI Ryou/Yami Bakura
1. Pain and Pleasure

Note: This is a YAOI fic, meaning male/male stuff. If you don't like it, don't read it. Typical disclaimers, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, etc. Don't sue me. I can't afford it.

~

Ryou Bakura perched himself on the edge of his bed, nervously smoothing his blue and white striped shirt. He had promised his friend Yugi that, since it was the weekend, he would meet him for a duel, but Ryou didn't know if he'd ever make it out the door. 

Ryou was worried. He tried to be gentle and kind, and up until just a few months ago, he had thought he had succeeded. Yet ever since he had acquired his mysterious Millennium Ring, he began to suffer from intense memory loss. He would sometimes wake up, unaware of hours or even days, lost, with no idea what had happened. Then he had started hearing voices. But he wasn't insane; it was the Millennium Ring that caused his problems. Ryou had learned that an ancient spirit dwelt within the Ring, and it seemed as though the spirit was not good-natured. Ryou's friends told him that the Millennium Ring made him act strange, even violent; Honda had even gone so far as to throw it into the forest beneath Pegasus' castle, although the spirit dwelling inside it quickly used shadow energy to return it to Ryou.

Ever since their experiences at Duelist Kingdom, Ryou had noticed that the spirit of his Millennium Ring, whom everyone called Yami Bakura, had been gaining strength. They occasionally conversed inside Ryou's mind, and although the shy boy deeply admired the ancient spirit's power, Yami Bakura was always harsh and angry with Ryou. He was highly upset about Ryou's actions in the Shadow Realm duel with Yami Yugi; if the boy had not betrayed him, Yami Bakura would have overpowered Yugi and taken the Millennium Puzzle for himself. Yami Bakura repeatedly told Ryou that he was worthless, that he would leave and seek a more suitable vessel. He hurled mental insults at Ryou constantly, caused spasms of mental pain to wrack his body, yet he stayed.

He stayed with Ryou, even though he constantly told Ryou he did not plan to. He stayed.

Until now.

This morning, when he woke up, Ryou had noticed a conspicuous absence in his mind: he could not feel the spirit's presence at all. He was used to being awakened to a shock of pain from Yami Bakura, or a series of insults denouncing his laziness. But this morning he had felt and heard nothing.

Alarmed, his hand had flown to his chest, feeling for the Millennium Ring, but he had felt nothing but skin.

Yami Bakura was gone, and had taken the Ring with him.

Ryou had sat on his bed for nearly an hour, shaken, unsure of what to do. Finally, he had started to dress himself, in his favorite clothes: jeans and his striped t-shirt. But now he was done dressing, his hair was brushed, he was ready to leave.

Except he was afraid.

Although his Yami verbally abused him regularly, Ryou still felt bonded to the spirit. He often felt jealous of his friend Yugi; the other boy had a spirit as well, but one who was more or less good, and kind to the boy. Ryou's spirit was only full of anger towards him. Yet he still cared about his Yami, and with the other's presence missing from his mind, he felt hollow and strange. He wondered where his darkness had gone, if he had found another body to inhabit or if he dwelt only within the Ring. 

Ryou had silently cursed the spirit many times, had wished for him to leave his mind forever. He had even tried to get rid of his Yami during the duel in the Shadow Realm. But now that he was gone, Ryou was surprised to find that he missed him. Ryou's large brown eyes filled with tears as he stared at his blue carpet. He felt empty and alone, and he wanted his spirit back.

"Yami.." he murmured into the air. "Yami, why did you leave me? I miss you..please come back.."

Silence.

Ryou sighed and rose to his feet. "I suppose Yugi is waiting for me," he murmured to himself. "I need to get moving..Perhaps if I discuss the situation with Yugi, he will have an answer for me."

Ryou stretched his hand out towards the door, slowly pulling it open and stepping forward.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?"

The harsh voice broke out of nowhere, and before Ryou had a chance to glance up to see who had spoken, a foot flew towards him. Ryou felt a sharp pain in his stomach and fell hard on his rear end, yelping as the wind was knocked out of him. Gasping for breath, his eyes followed the long, jean-clad legs up the attacker's body. The man was wearing a blue and white striped shirt, just like his..and..wasn't that the Millennium Ring?

"Yami!" he cried, gazing up into the man's glaring brown eyes and flowing white hair. "What.."

"Silence, fool," the older man snapped, slamming the door behind him. Ryou gulped. He tried to sit up, but his Yami gave him a harsh glare and he decided it was best not to move. Yami Bakura stared down at him, sneering.

"I have now begun my quest for ultimate power! With my newfound ability to manifest myself separately from you, I will be able to collect all the Millennium Items. I don't have to deal with your pathetic interference!"

Ryou shivered. Whenever his Yami spoke like that, he grew scared..but, in some strange way, he enjoyed hearing Yami Bakura speak of his plans. In the past, it made him proud to have such an ambitious, strong alter. Now..he wasn't quite sure why, but he enjoyed it.

"Yami," the boy spoke, cringing, "can you tell me how you managed this?"

"Fool, questioning me! My power is growing, _Ryou_," he spit the name. "I now have acquired the Millennium Eye in addition to my Ring, and soon I shall take control of Yugi's Millennium Puzzle as well. My separate manifestation is a simple matter. I stole one of that idiot Pegasus's blank cards used for the capture of souls. I infused a small amount of my essence into the card, and then used my Shadow abilities to bring it to life. Then, I simply took over this body as my new host."

"Does that mean you're going to leave me?" Ryou tried to sound unconcerned, but a hint of fear crept into his voice. 

"It's none of your business what I plan to do!" He raised a hand to strike the young boy for his insolence, but decided it was too much effort to bend down. He kicked the young boy instead. 

Ryou winced, yet dragged himself onto his knees. He leaned over and clutched his Yami's leg, not entirely sure why he was being so daring.

"What..are you doing?" the spirit snarled, too stunned to lash out at the boy.

"Yami, I don't want you to leave me," Ryou whispered, a tear sliding from his left eye.

The taller male glared, his dark eyes narrowing. "Why should your feelings interfere with my plans for conquering the world, mortal?" He spit at the younger boy, then kicked him again, causing Ryou to whimper.

"I do what I want. I take what I want. NOBODY tells me otherwise!"

Frightened, Ryou tried to scuttle backwards, but he bumped up against his bedside table, striking his head against the wood. "Oww!" he cried, surprised.

"QUIET!" his Yami roared, stepping forward. Seizing a glass from Ryou's bedside table, he threw it hard against the wall. It shattered, causing Ryou to yelp in surprise and pain as a shard of glass embedded itself in his hand. He curled against the table, eyes shut tight, awaiting a new attack. 

None came.

Ryou questioningly opened one eye, then quickly shut it again in alarm. His Yami was staring at him, a strange light in his eyes. He wasn't sure what it meant, and he wasn't sure he liked it, either. 

"I take what I want…" the older man murmured again. Ryou suddenly felt a surge of fear. He opened his eyes again, and his Yami was still standing there staring, with the look that frightened him. He curled tighter against the bedside table.

"I want you, Ryou!"

"W-What did you say?"

"I said I want you!"

With one fluid motion, the older man bent, pulling the thrashing Ryou away from the table. He pushed him against the carpeted floor, his hands pressing Ryou's shoulders down. The boy seemed frightened, and was kicking frantically, so the spirit moved one hand down to hold his legs while another pushed on his chest. Yet the boy still struggled, and Yami realized that he would be unable to accomplish much of anything in this state.

"Ryou, things will be much easier for you if you comply!"

For once the younger boy didn't seem in a hurry to obey, and he continued to squirm.

"Very well, you leave me no choice. ENERGY BIND!"

Yellow bands of energy suddenly leapt out of the air, wrapping themselves around Ryou's legs. Another band appeared, holding his arms close to his body. Yami Bakura smiled, a frightening smile to the small Ryou, who cried out softly.

"W-what do you want with me?"

"I want you to pleasure me!"

"B-but how?" Ryou trembled slightly, having a fairly good idea of how.

Yami Bakura tossed his hair and smiled devilishly. He bent down to his knees and knelt over the boy, his warm breath striking Ryou's cheek. The boy closed one eye, unsure of exactly what to expect.

Suddenly, Yami Bakura leaned over even further, bending his head over the other boy's. He pressed his lips firmly against Ryou's, feeling the younger one squirm and gasp as the spirit's tongue probed his lips. Ryou knew his Yami's tongue wanted entrance, but he was afraid to give in; the other's tongue managed to work through his lips, but struck Ryou's teeth, which were clenched tightly together. Yami Bakura growled slightly, angered at the boy's resistance, and struck out with a hand, slapping the boy's cheek. Reluctantly, Ryou allowed his Yami's tongue to enter, and even licked back a couple of times as it explored the inner crevices of his mouth. Although Ryou was frightened at first, his breaths began to quicken and he whimpered into Yami's mouth.

The older of the two finally pulled away, gasping for breath. Saliva streaks ran down Ryou's chin, and the brown-eyed boy was panting, eyeing his Yami warily.

"I will temporarily remove your upper bonds, if you are willing to do what I ask," Yami Bakura growled, trying to keep a measure of sternness in his voice.

"Y-Yes, okay.." Ryou was apparently very confused by the procedures. His Yami released the bonds on his arms, then leaned over him again.

"Take my shirt off, Ryou," the spirit commanded firmly. The younger one did as he asked, then rubbed his fingers against the other's smooth, silky chest, feeling its muscles…

"I didn't give you permission to do that, fool!" Yami Bakura slapped the boy roughly across his cheek, causing tears to spring to his eyes. 

"Remove my pants." Ryou's eyes widened slightly and he flushed, but he did as his Yami commanded, undoing the button on his jeans and then pulling the zipper down. Apparently annoyed by his slowness, the spirit leapt to his feet and yanked the jeans the rest of the way off, then bent down, smiling wickedly at his other self.

Ryou gasped softly. Yami Bakura wore no underwear, and his arousal was highly obvious. Ryou couldn't help mentally comparing himself and the spirit, and although the Yami resembled him highly, in this respect his Yami dwarfed him.

"What are you staring at, _Ryou_?" sneered the spirit, knowing the answer was quite prominent.

"N-Nothing, spirit.." the boy murmured, averting his eyes.

The yami's eyes opened wide, shining strangely. 

"Please me!" he cried. He knelt over the younger boy's neck, shoving his manhood into the surprised boy's mouth. Ryou sputtered, coughing, unsure of exactly what his Yami wanted him to do. He licked feebly at the intruder, then gained strength when the spirit encouraged him.

"Nngh, yes, Ryou!"

He licked harder, trying not to cough as Yami Bakura thrust into his mouth repeatedly. The older boy seemed to be enjoying himself deeply, and Ryou closed his eyes and focused more, trying to help his Yami reach a finish. Yami Bakura writhed and groaned, then finally arched his back and, gasping, came into Ryou's mouth. The younger one tried to swallow as much as he could, but finally began to cough. He spat out the rest of the liquid, which dribbled down his chin and soaked into the carpet.

Yami Bakura stood, laughing softly. He surveyed Ryou's body, his glazed eyes and spread arms. Although his legs were bound together, the spirit noticed that Ryou, too, had been aroused by their activity. Yami Bakura enjoyed seeing the boy suffer, yet he was not entirely cruel, and he realized that to not allow the boy any form of release would be unfair. 

Ryou lay there, gasping, eyes glassy as he stared at his Yami. As the older boy reached a hand out, Ryou tried to curl up despite the bonds on his legs.

"What are you afraid of, _Ryou_?" growled the spirit. "I'm no fool, I can see perfectly well what you want. Release him!" The bonds on Ryou's legs sprang free. "I'm warning you, though, Bakura, don't resist or you'll get ten times that." The younger boy just nodded, blushing, as his Yami bent over him, undoing his pants. He assisted in removing them, as well as the underwear he wore underneath.

Yami Bakura bent and began stroking Ryou, rubbing up and down his length. The younger boy was not used to being touched, and he cried out as his Yami rubbed him. The spirit slapped his face with his free hand. "Quiet, or I'll seal your mouth shut as well," he snarled. Ryou nodded. He was extremely confused, and decided to just not think about what was happening. His yami's pace increased, rubbing and stroking. Though Ryou struggled hard to prevent himself from crying out, he was unable to stop himself from gasping, especially when his Yami used his free hand to take hold of his scrotum and squeeze it in rhythm with his strokes. Ryou's gasps grew more and more strained, until finally, he was unable to stop himself from crying out as his knees gave out and he released, staining the carpet with his fluids.

"You sound like a girl," the spirit grumbled. His tone then shifted as he regarded the floor. "Look what a mess you made!" Yami Bakura yelled, shoving the boy's head forward into the puddle. "Clean it up, fool!" Ryou had no choice but to slurp at his own fluid, trying to remove it from his dark blue carpet. He had a feeling that it was too late to clean it all up, though, and he felt a bit sick to his stomach forcing it down. Finally, he rose to his knees.

"No more, Yami, please.."

"Silence! You know you want a resolution to all of this." With that, Yami Bakura leaned over and scooped the boy up, placing him on his bed. "I'm nearly done, yet there is one more thing I want from you." Ryou was beyond objection. He was confused about why his Yami was suddenly acting like this, but he was too drawn up in the moment to care. 

Ryou lay face-up on the bed, unable to keep himself from blushing furiously. He was embarrassed that the spirit was looking at him naked, since he was so unable to compare to his Yami's proportions. 

Yami Bakura leaned forward, pushing himself towards Ryou's mouth again. "Just a little," he warned. "So that I'm plenty wet, but no more." Ryou, too muddled to object to the orders, bent and enveloped his Yami's renewed erection with his mouth, covering his length with saliva. The older male withdrew earlier than Ryou had hoped he would, and he crouched.

"Turn over."

Ryou knew what was coming next, and he was frightened, yet he also quivered in anticipation as he rolled over, exposing himself. His Yami licked two fingers, then pressed them gently inside, spreading and feeling. Ryou gasped slightly at the sensation, which was slightly painful but also pleasurable. He cringed as the spirit withdrew his fingers and settled himself on Ryou's rear end, then cried out, his eyes opening wide, as his Yami thrust himself inside. He felt pain at first, but it was worth it; as the spirit thrust in and out, Ryou moaned softly, the pleasurable sensations enhanced by the sting. It felt much better than he had expected, and he knew his Yami enjoyed it as well, judging from his sounds; his thrusts were quickening, and he finally gasped and erupted, filling Ryou with an incredible fullness and warmth. The younger boy simply whimpered, unable to speak.

Yami drew himself out with a popping noise, and proceeded to lay down on the bed next to Ryou. In a rare moment of tenderness, he draped his arm over the younger boy's body, kissing his back. Ryou curled against him, confused yet also fulfilled. 

"Yami.." he murmured. "Please don't leave me.."

The spirit muttered something, himself confused. He had fully been planning to leave, and had initially planned to take Ryou purely for the sake of his own pleasure; but he realized in the process that he _was_ bonded to the boy, that the time they had spent in the same mind had indeed brought them together. Yet he could not bend and show tenderness towards the boy now, could he? He had finally achieved a degree of freedom, and he already owned two Millennium Items and wanted to embark on a quest for the others. He had not expected this sudden surge of emotions..a feeling of..love for the young one?

Ryou quivered in his arms, and Yami Bakura realized the boy was crying. He opened his mouth to snap at the boy again, then stopped. After the experience they had just shared, he could not reprimand the boy. He reached up, rubbing the boy's tears, trying to comfort him.

"Shh..I won't leave just yet. I might not leave at all." Somehow, this didn't seem to help Ryou, and he only cried harder. Flustered, Yami Bakura wasn't sure exactly what to do. He just pulled the boy closer.

Suddenly, the moment was broken by a grating sound.

__

Briiing!!! 

It was the phone on Ryou's desk. Muttering, the boy tried to dry his tears as he leaped up to answer it.

"Ryou?" the voice on the other end asked, sounding a bit worried.

"Yes, yes, I'm here," Ryou responded, trying not to let his tears show through his voice. He pressed the speakerphone button, allowing his voice to be heard throughout the room.

"It's me, Yugi! You promised me you'd duel, and you never showed up! What happened? Are you okay? I'm standing right outside your house, I'm on my cell phone. Can I come in?"

Yami Bakura cursed loudly and jumped to his feet, searching around for his clothes. He threw Ryou's pants at him, then hurriedly tugged on his own.

"Erm…In a moment, Yugi, I'm a bit busy," Ryou responded.

"Well, okay," the voice at the other end responded, not sounding entirely happy. 

"I'll be out in a moment to let you in," Ryou responded, then hung up.

"_Yugi! _I'm going to kill that kid one of these days," snarled Yami Bakura. Then, suddenly, a wicked smile lit his face. "Or, I could just take his Puzzle.."

"You'll do no such thing!" cried Ryou, trying to pull on his clothes quickly. "I swear I won't let you out of this room if you plan to hurt Yugi."

Yami Bakura turned to face him, his eyes again cold. "I do not take orders from you, Ryou Bakura," he growled. 

Ryou finished tugging on his pants and hurried to the door. He hurried down the hallway to the front door, and opened it, staring down at the short young man at his doorstep. "I'm sorry, Yugi, I didn't mean to disappoint you. I was delayed," he added, not wanting to explain to Yugi what had happened. Yugi's big eyes looked sad, and Ryou sighed, knowing his friend had been hurt by his refusal to appear. 

As Yugi opened his mouth to respond, the back door suddenly slammed.

"What was- Oh, Yami!" Ryou cried, suddenly bursting into tears again. He sank to his knees, unable to move. Yugi blinked.

"Is something wrong, Ryou?" he asked.

"No, Yugi," responded Ryou. The boy was innocent, and he did not want to upset him by explaining what had happened. Yet he also wanted to warn Yugi that Yami Bakura was free, in case he attempted to attack Yugi and steal his Millennium Puzzle. But how could he explain?

"Nothing at all," Ryou sighed, staring at the ground.

~Thanks for reading! It's 'done', but I don't know if it's really done! Should I continue it? ^_^o I always do this! My fics are supposedly finished but then I leave room for something else to happen at the end, but I usually lose interest and don't continue it, driving my readers nuts. ^_^o Argh.


	2. Discussions

I hadn't originally planned to continue this (it was supposed to be a one-shot yaoi fic) but since people want me to continue, and I want to find out what happens next as well, I'm continuing. ^_^o No yaoi in this chapter, though, sorry.

~

Yugi was exceedingly confused by Bakura's actions, yet he couldn't help worrying when he saw the pained expression on the white-haired boy's face.

"Bakura-kun, SOMETHING is wrong...Please tell me," Yugi pressed, feeling that Ryou's pain would be eased if he spoke about it.

"Come inside," sighed Ryou, knowing that Yugi would probably be unsafe if he remained standing there. Yugi followed his friend inside, instinctively turning towards Ryou's bedroom, where they normally sat.

"No! Not in there," Ryou blushed, fearing that some signs of his earlier activity would still be visible. He didn't want to frighten Yugi, and he also didn't want to have to explain all the details of what had taken place.

"Well, okay," Yugi responded, still not sure exactly what was going on. He followed the taller boy into the kitchen, then seated himself at the table while Ryou set a kettle of water on the stove to boil, wanting to provide some semblance of hospitality towards his friend. Sighing, he accompanied Yugi to the table.

"Yugi, you and your Millennium Puzzle are possibly in grave danger," Ryou intoned, still floundering for an explanation.

"Nothing new there," Yugi responded, trying to be cheerful. He forced a smile onto his face, trying to assure the other boy that he was used to threats.

"Yugi, you don't understand," Ryou responded, his voice growing even more urgent. "Yugi, notice how I'm not wearing my Millennium Ring."

"I thought you wore it under your shirt sometimes."

"Well, not now." Ryou was too worried to be amused. "Yugi, I'm not going to bother you with all the details, but, basically, my darker half has gained a body of his own - a weak, shadow-bound body, but a body nonetheless. He...hurt me, and now he is after you! He wants your Puzzle. He already has the Ring, and now he's got Pegasus's Eye as well. Each Millennium item he gains increases his power! With your Puzzle, he will be well on his way towards his goal of world domination. I'm frightened," Ryou added, his voice breaking slightly on the last syllable.

Yugi frowned. "I think this is something for the other me to handle," he decided. He closed his eyes, probably mentally communicating with his Yami. His Millennium Puzzle shone with energy as his body quickly melted into the shape of his older, slightly taller form. Ryou silently cursed Yugi, jealousy bubbling within him. Yugi and his Yami were teammates, partners. Why couldn't HIS other self be like that?

Yami Yugi smiled, the familiar confident look marking his features. "Do not worry, Bakura. Your darker half cannot harm me physically, and I have no doubt that I can defeat him in a Shadow Game. I did once before, you remember."

"Only because _I _betrayed him," Ryou responded, sounding a bit wistful.

  
"Betrayed him...?" Yami Yugi shot him a questioning look. "What you did saved the souls of my friends, as well as yourself."

"Yes, but ever since then, he has never stopped reminding me of my betrayal. Never stopped punishing me...and today..." Ryou looked at the ground, flushing in shame and embarassment. True, Yami Bakura had punished him, but he couldn't deny that there had been at least a sliver of enjoyment in it for him. Probably more than that.

"Bakura..." Yami's eyes probed him, and he blushed deeper. The older incarnation of Yugi was more perceptive than the younger, and he knew he would have a harder time hiding this morning's experiences from him.

"Bakura, I think I know what your Yami did to you, as well as why you did not tell my partner."

"It's not my fault!" Ryou cried defensively. The tea water boiled madly behind them, forgotten. 

"I know that, Bakura. I'm not blaming you. I only wish you did not have to suffer like that."

"Don't pity me..." Ryou sniffed slightly, trying to resist the building pressure behind his eyes. "Just worry about yourself, and your lighter half. He wants the Puzzle, and he will stop at nothing to get it. I already told him...I won't let him hurt Yugi. If he tries, he'll have to kill me first!" Ryou's eyes shone with a defiant light.

Yami sighed. "I hope it doesn't come to that," he responded. "It hopefully will not. Yet even if I defeat him in a Shadow Game, a portion of him will undoubtedly survive within the Millennium Ring. Indeed, I sense his presence even within my own Puzzle."

"What?" Ryou cried, alarmed. "In your Puzzle? But, how?"

"You must not remember. It is a pity that you experience such incidences of amnesia when your other half takes over, but such is the nature of the Millennium Items. When Yugi was forced into dueling the possessed Bandit Keith, your Yami was there, watching. I was able to notice all this from my vantage point within the Puzzle, though I was unable to contact Yugi to warn him. Our connection was very weak, since he was not wearing the Puzzle around his neck. I have no memory of what happened after Bandit Keith shattered the puzzle, until Yugi was able to put it back together. Yet when I regained consciousness, I felt your Yami's essence, quietly pulsing within the Puzzle. I do not know exactly what happened, yet I sense that even if his physical body is destroyed, he will not be."

"Agh, why?" Ryou's voice sounded strained, and his rare emotional outburst caused Yami to start in surprise. "Why must this affect us? Why can't Yugi and I be normal Duelists? I only wish my greatest problem was losing Duels! I sometimes feel like nobody understands what we go through, with our Millennium Items. Some who own Items have been corrupted by them, but Yugi and I still try to fight for good. But it's so hard...even Yugi doesn't understand what I go through! You're kind to him, you want the best for him, you try to defend him. My darker half wants nothing more to torment me, to bring me to the edge of death and back again! You were once a great pharaoh. He was nothing more than a tomb robber. He probably even stole some of the treasures dedicated to you after your death."

"Yet you care for him, despite all his failings, is that not correct?" Yami stood and busied himself with pouring the tea, turning his back to the white-haired boy. A tear slid down Ryou's face as he considered a response.

"Yes, and that is what makes everything so horrible. It would be easier, so much easier, if I could just work on destroying him. I want to destroy him, yet I also want to protect him! I hate him, yet I love him. We shared a body for so long that I got used to his presence, and now I feel empty without it. He abuses me, yet I relish the torment." Ryou turned to Yami, his large brown eyes brimming with moisture. "You know, I could never tell any of this to Yugi. He wouldn't understand. The boy is innocent, and I fear that I will corrupt him by speaking of such things."

"It's okay, Bakura." Yami handed him a steaming mug of tea, which he sipped gingerly. "We all have our own challenges in life."

"The other boys think I'm weird, or too withdrawn. When I try to speak I'm just mocked half the time. They don't understand what I go through...what we go through."

"Do you know where your darker half disappeared to?" Yami tried to change the subject, hoping that doing so would lift the other boy's depression slightly.

"No..." Ryou answered sadly. "I heard the door slam while I was talking to Yugi, but I don't know where he went. He might even still be in the house. He has Pegasus' Millennium Eye now, and although I don't think he's installed it in himself, he might be able to still read minds with it. He might know what I'm saying right now." Ryou suddenly blushed. "What if he knows everything I just said about him?"

"He probably already did. Your Yami is a strange creature. I sometimes doubt his sanity. He wants world domination, but what would he do with the power once he obtained it?"

"He speaks of wanting to destroy this plane, and force the Shadow Realm to consume everything. He wants to live in a world of darkness."

"Yes, but why? Doing so would kill almost everyone. Why would he want a realm if he was the only one to inhabit it? What power would that be?"

"I don't know," Ryou responded. "I just know that he wants the Puzzle. He'll kill Yugi if he has to. What if he sneaks into Yugi's room one day while he's asleep, and just murders him in cold blood? I'm scared. I don't want him to do that, yet I know he would have no qualms about doing so."

"I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening," Yami responded gravely. "Yet even if it does, he will still have to deal with me. Even if I cannot take on Yugi's physical body, I can still maneuver myself within the Shadow Realm, and I shall fight him to the death."

Ryou suddenly cried out, causing Yami to turn towards him in alarm. The other blushed slightly, placing his arm behind his head in embarrassment. "I burned my tongue on the tea," he admitted shamefully.

Yami shook his head and sighed, hiding a slight smile.

"Fear not, Bakura. Even if he does have two Millennium Items, he is not invincible. We cannot destroy him completely, but we can try to defeat his physical form. It will be much more difficult for him to exist without it."

Ryou nodded and sipped his tea. The steaming liquid coursed through his body, warming him. Yami's words were comforting, and he began to relax slightly.

"AAAAUUUUUUGHHHHHHH!"

A scream suddenly resounded through the house, causing the mug to slip from Ryou's hand. Scalding liquid splashed all over his front. Yami tensed.

"What...was that?" Ryou asked, not really expecting a response. Yami sprang to his feet and left the kitchen, with Ryou trailing along behind him.

In the hallway lay Yami Bakura, his face contorted with pain. He moaned again, causing Ryou to shiver. The white carpet he lay on had become tinged with reddish-brown. Yami Bakura's face was splashed with blood, and his silvery-white hair had turned a sickly brownish color.

"What..."

"The Millennium Eye!" cried Yami Yugi. "He tried to use it..."

Ryou forced his eyes to the gruesome sight, and saw that the blood was indeed flowing from his dark half's left eyesocket. "Did it work?" he asked, to nobody in particular. Yami Bakura cried out again as a fresh pulse of blood began flowing from his eye.

"I don't know!" Yami's face was pale and determined as he watched the bloody sight. He heard Yugi's voice within his mind wondering what was going on, but he didn't answer the boy.

"This certainly complicates things..."


	3. Comforting

Argh, this chapter was supposed to be violent, but it ended up fluffy. I hate it when that happens. O.o And before you ask, NO RYOU IS NOT A VAMPIRE. Go read Soulbound if you want vampire. ^_^ The song used is Yakyoku, or Nocturne, from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I seem to be obsessed with using this song in fics. x.o I have an MP3, email me if you want it. Lyrics and translations are from http://www.animelyrics.com

~

"A-Aaahh.." whimpered Yami Bakura, cringing. Ryou blanched as he saw his dark half moan with pain, the blood still flowing freely.

"Yugi, shouldn't we do something?" Ryou's voice was full of concern. "Go call an ambulance! Wait…perhaps that's not the best idea," he mused. "If he starts trying to attack the doctors, we might all get in trouble! But the loss of blood is going to seriously hurt him!" Ryou's voice was tense with worry, and Yami nodded, understanding the danger.

"Bakura, go hurry and fetch some bandages!" Yami Yugi commanded, sensing the urgency in Ryou's voice. The white-haired boy nodded and dashed off towards the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. 

Yami Yugi surveyed the situation. His archenemy was writhing on the floor, weakened and injured. He could probably kill him in one or two blows.

But he didn't.

Although Yami Yugi realized the danger in the situation, he was genuinely curious as to what would happen with the Millennium Eye. If the Eye rejected Yami Bakura, his existence would be prolonged, but in a torturous state of insanity. Being honest with himself, Yami Yugi realized that he would enjoy seeing the tomb robber's spirit in pain. He just didn't want to risk Ryou getting hurt.

The white-haired boy appeared in the doorway, carrying a stack of bandages and towels. He began to bend over his older incarnation, when Yami Bakura let out another piercing yell. He arched, and his hand involuntarily jerked to his eyesocket.

With a flash of light that temporarily blinded all of them, the Millennium Eye suddenly and unpredictably ejected itself from Yami Bakura's face. It bounced off of Ryou's forehead, ricocheted off the hallway wall, and came to rest on the floor. It was bloodless and gleaming, and pulsated with a strange energy. Yami Bakura screamed again, and the blood flow seemed to increase even more.

"And that," Yami Yugi declared, a strange note of triumph in his voice, "is what happens when you interfere with the awesome power of the Millennium Items. They choose their masters with care."

Ryou's face twisted in worry, and he rushed to his Yami's side. He dropped and pulled the other close, despite his attempts to claw and slap at Ryou's face.

"Hold still! I'm just trying to _help _you," Ryou said, a bit sharply. He grabbed one of the bandages and attempted to stem the flow of blood, wrapping it tightly around his gasping Yami's head. It quickly soaked through, however, and Ryou tried to add another bandage.

"Leave me." Yami Bakura's voice sounded strange and metallic, and Ryou glanced at Yami Yugi questioningly. "Yugi…What is the consequence for being rejected by a Millennium Item?"

"Insanity," replied Yami Yugi after a bit of thought. "Madness. Sometimes worse. But usually just madness. The Millennium Items have much power within, and they will appropriately torture anyone who tries to use them for purposes of malice. After all, they were instrumental in sealing away the Shadow Games. They do not want the Shadow Games to return They rarely kill those who try to use them for such purposes. They sometimes bring people to the brink of death, yet rarely death itself."

"Oh…" Ryou's large brown eyes seemed to expand with sadness. He placed a hand on his Yami's shoulder, causing the man to flinch yet not lash out.

"Bakura, I know you have feelings for him. I know you are attached to him. Yet such is the nature of evil spirits. They bring about their own undoing through their lust for power. Do you think he ever meant to use you as anything but a pawn? Do you think he ever cared for you? You were and are merely a shell for his energies. He wanted to take over Mokuba's soulless body in order to have a shell free of resistance."

"But he didn't! He stayed with me…"

"He only didn't because Honda stopped him."

"Honda!" Ryou laughed. "Do you really think Honda could stop one with such great powers as his? He wanted to stay with me."

"He abuses you, Bakura! Physically as well as mentally, if he gets the chance. He uses you for whatever purposes suit him at the moment, as should've been made very clear this morning." Yami Yugi stared pointedly at Ryou, causing the boy to blush. "Bakura, I know it is difficult for you…"

"How would you know anything about our relationship?" Bakura snapped. "You are so different from him."

Ryou pulled his Yami closer. "Leave me…" he murmured again. Ignoring his darker half's protests, Ryou ran his fingers through the other man's hair, caked with drying blood. He ran a finger over the other man's cheek. The blood which had been so bright at first had begun drying, staining his face with a rusty brown.

"Bakura, I'm telling you, don't— " Yami Yugi tried to interrupt, but Ryou bent over and gently licked at Yami Bakura's bloodied cheek, trying to erase the stains. Yami Bakura placed a hand on Ryou's wrist and clenched, then released.

"Hand me one of those towels," spoke Ryou, gesturing towards the pile he'd dropped at the doorway. Sighing, Yami Yugi complied, placing a blue and white striped towel in the other boy's hand. Ryou gently moved the towel over his Yami's moistened cheek, rubbing away as much blood as possible from the other's cheek. He then moved around to the other side and pulled his Yami's head into his lap, running his hands again through the silky silver hair.

"Bakura." Yami Yugi's voice was urgent. "He may be barely conscious at the moment, but after he recovers somewhat, he could be quite dangerous. I don't want him to hurt you…"

Ryou's deep, piercing brown eyes settled on the other. He didn't say anything, but his gaze was so full of sadness that Yami was forced to look away. He sighed.

"Very well, Ryou, but I warned you." He then seemed to sink into a silent meditation, no doubt conversing with his own other half. 

"What are you telling him?" Ryou's voice was a tiny bit alarmed, but mostly curious.

"Don't worry, I won't reveal your secret." Ryou thought he could detect a trace of amusement in Yami Yugi's voice, which irritated him since he didn't know why. He occupied himself by checking his own Yami's bandage. It seemed saturated with blood, but there didn't seem to be any more coming, at least. Ryou wondered how badly his eye was damaged: would he be blind on that side? Probably. Ryou wasn't sure exactly how the Millennium Eye worked, but judging from the amount of blood, it couldn't be pretty. _Now you know how Pegasus feels_, Ryou couldn't help thinking. He didn't even want to imagine the pain that Pegasus had gone through when Yami Bakura had gouged out the Eye.

Ryou traced Yami Bakura's unhurt cheek with one hand, still running his hand through his hair with another. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the image of his moaning and bleeding Yami. It was one that wouldn't leave him easily, but he had plenty other images in his mind that he wanted to forget. One of them, admittedly, was his betrayal of his Yami during the Shadow Game. Although he was glad that he was able to save the souls of Yugi and his friends, the pain he had suffered since that moment, both because of his own conscience and at the hands of his Yami, was quite excruciating.

Ryou hummed a tune to himself as he rubbed his Yami's face and hair. "Yugi, do you mind if I sing?" He blushed slightly, removing a hand from Yami Bakura in order to rub the back of his head nervously. "I mean…It might stop me from worrying a bit…"

Yami Yugi smiled slightly. "If you would like…"

Ryou blushed further. He wanted to be alone with his Yami, but he knew that Yugi's dark half was too worried to leave the two of them there alone. He didn't really blame the spirit, but he still wanted him to leave. He smoothed his shirt, a habit he had when he was nervous, and then ran a hand through his fluffy white hair.

He then opened his mouth and began to sing quietly, gradually gaining strength. His voice was fairly high, almost feminine, yet it had a haunting quality that echoed the song's melodies and words.

__

Megami wa eien no, shiawase no naka de…Nageki tsuzukete wa,, utau nokutaan.

[The goddess is in eternal happiness. My continuing sorrow is the nocturne I sing.]

He paused for a moment, blushing, then continued.

__

Ai wa owaru, inochi mo tsukiru sore nara…Onaji, toki ni, ito wa kitte.

[Love ends. Life also runs out…At the same time, cut the thread.]

Ryou gasped slightly as his hand, absently stroking his Yami's cheek, grew wet. He glanced down, expecting to see the bloodied bandage overflowing and dribbling down his Yami's cheek. But that was not what happened.

__

Tears…?

A small line of moisture streaked down from Yami Bakura's intact eye, running down his cheek and touching Ryou's hand.

"You're…Crying…" He mentally berated himself after this statement, not wanting his Yami to think he considered him weak. 

"I didn't know…you could." Ryou's large brown eyes were near the point of brimming over, but he forced himself under control.

"That was a very beautiful song, Bakura." Yami Yugi smiled slightly, but his expression of kindness was tinged with sadness. "I only wish you did not have to endure such suffering at such a young age."

Ryou pulled his Yami closer, tenderly wiping away his tears.

"Such is the pain of this love," he responded. "Yet I still feel it. I can't help it. I only wish…" He sighed softly. "I only wish it could work out. I know it cannot. Even if he were to change his ways, he is an immortal spirit. I am but a man. I will wither and die while he stays fresh."

Yami Yugi shook his head. "The Millennium Items bring pain and turmoil to whoever they touch. Their promise of powers beyond all comprehension is alluring, yet it comes at a great price. I sometimes wish that I had never intruded on young Yugi's life, that he was a normal boy still innocently enjoying the world of Duel Monsters with no greater interests at stake. But such is not the case. The Millennium Items were necessary to seal away the great evil of the Shadow Games," he murmured, "yet I wish there had been another way. I wish there had been another way…a way that did not involve the torment of so many souls that could have been innocent. You are strong, Bakura. You will survive this, and when you do finally age and die, you will rest in peace, knowing you helped prevent evil from overtaking the world."

Ryou's eyes were still large and sad, and he ran his fingers through his Yami's hair again. "I hope that what you say is true," he responded.

"I hope it's true…"


End file.
